Flight member and mounting therefor



' Aug'. 25, 1953 R. B. NWMAN FLIGHT MEMBER AND MOUNTING THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug, 51, 1949 IIN lll y INVENTOR. .POLL/E NAW/ww Aug 25, 1953- R. B. NAWMAN FLIGHT MEMBER AND MOUNTING THEREF'OR Filed Aug. 31, 1949 2 Sheets-sheet 2 I N VEN TOR Pou/E5, AMM/V FLIGHTME ER ANDMOUNIING jTHERErQR @Rollie Nawmam lOaklaind, alif., assigner itu Benner-Mmmm, 1.1110., Qakland, fQalif., .1a A.corporacnfof California Thisinventionrelates'to flexible beltltypercon- -fber showing afmodiiication in -the-manner -of iat- -veyors `and particularly Lto `the mounting :thereon tachment of the conveyor web thereto.

of salient cleats -or `similar vflight elements em- '-'Il'hemostcommonitypes of transport conveyors -ployed to retain positional arrangement -or to n comprise parallel -articulate chains madeup of prevent shifting of -objects1borne-by the AConi series-joined sprocket links, a large number of veyor-s. `which rare-equipped -with lug Velernentswto which `means, flight elements which-are capable of ready An object of the invention is =to -provide in la areattached the usually -Wooden `slats combining conveyor vutilizing standard Alink-chainor similar Ato Lform -the load supporting surface of the conarticulated elements as the ldrive imparting -veyors or to which maybe connected the vertil( cally Yrising cleats or plate .night members with Yattachmentto any =link or element Awithout re- :which the conveyors are equipped to `insure qniring any special form in the latter to effect Aagainstuncontrolled slippagepf objectsalongfthe the attachment, conveyors, v4partici-llarly `:Where the latter are -ver Anotherobject-oftheinvention is to provide, tically inclined. rlhe more modern conveyors in an attachment ldevice -of ythe character n-del utilice Woven -wirescreening to providethe load scribed, connector fmeansassociated with -thede 'bearing lsurface and require Vspecially Alugged vice capable of intermeshing engagement with chainlinkssothatltheflatter may vbe secured'to linkage elements of the drive chains or other the iinner fabric. =1,11 many instances it nis rearticulatedsupport means which serve to -posiquired, particularly Where vthe conveyor is intionalperpendicularity orfangularity-ofthe'fli-ght '20 clined -in ascending or descending, that the lat- -member lwith the `object lsupporting surface of ter be provided with upwardly .extending cleats theconveyor belt. -or 'higher plate element-s generally Atermed flight Afurther object of the inventionisto provide member-s the `art, -whgch act as 'pushers or in connection with a -conveyor of -the type rearrester-s preventing -uncontrolled slippage along fer-red to aflight memberin which-the loadbear- ^25 *the conveyor -oi objects 'borne thereby'lduringthe ing and attachment :eiecting portions thereof aforesaid inclinations of the conveyor. -In ,the

-areicapa-ble of being economically :iormedirom Woodenslat type of conveyor the applicationof a tunitary section of originally flat construction such cleats or night members ,is comparatively material. simple-since 'the Slat elements provideconven- Still another objectof the-'invention is -to Jpro- A30 ientjbase-parts tO-Whichtne.nightinenrbers may vide, `in .connection :with conveyors of Athe open 'bereadi-ly nailed or otherwise attached. Atta'h mesh -wire `belt type, a 4.flight member arranged Vment o f cleats or flight rneijrileerstotheft/ire fa l to .lend support-to interFmarginalvportons ofthe -type ofconveyor:presentssgrnevqjqulpie,

`belt-so as to resistobjectionablesaggingthereof. ever, and otenneqessitatesthe ,iiSe.,Qf QhaI1.l1I!lS The inventionfpossesses other objectsandfea- -35 specially-Mgg@ teleeve'llefahlcinddon ytures-of advantage,.-some ofwhicnvwith the foreyto the Afliglit member img untmg nelemenfgs going, willibe set `forth in the .following -descri-p- 'jI have `prnfiudned an imprbygd Construction tionofithe preferred formofrthe.inventionwhich wherebyflight membersmay beleagl-ygcpnfvis illustrated in the drawing Aaccon-ipanying `ed vto standardxlink ychains .at a small ,fraction Aforming part of thespecication. vIt is v-toibe un- 40 of the c ostvrequired to provide ,similar :structures .derstood,ihowever,.thativariations intheshowing with presently Ivav,jlttpl fStrCtdej/'fcg with made #by thesaid drawing fanddescription may the r,adclitional advantage yof providing desirable -be adopted within :the vscope lof fthe invention -as jlaterjal s tiffeningvof theconveyor Wirrefabr'ic cdas Vas set vforthin the. claims. tolessentransversesagging thereintoa minimum 4Referringito 4the-drawing: 45 degree. lhpwnjnuliligure .1 ,forillustrative' phi.. Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of'belt `posesis aa, sectional length Aofconveyorcompris- -conveyorequippedivithftheimprovedfflightmem- Ning relatiyelyspacedand parallel runs ioihcfhain,

Y berofmyinvention. ,generally indicated .by kthe referenenlima Figure 12 is a verticalsectional view-taken in between Whichis providedthe load-.bearing web the vpian@ indicatedby theiiine z zof Figure 1. -50 of .the ,conveyor generally .indicated .by t'lieni- Figure-3 is :a portional -bottomplanviewofthe meral 11. The chains 5 there .shown are of Vthe .structure of Figure r1. `.conventional tyre .generally employed `for @9n- Figur-e4 is aperspective view of the-attachment veyor drives, each-link unit of which cpmpljss -fflig-ht member. a cylindrical stud portion '3, lhaving a lQQl-e V9 `Figure 5-is--a-perspectiveview of-the flight memw extending axially therethrough, and provided with a pair of relatively-spaced, radially-extending side links I I transversely spaced to receive therebetween the stud portion 8 of an adjacent link unit and provided at their distal ends with bores I2 for receiving a pintle pin I3 which also passes through the bore 9 of the adjacent link unit so as to hingedly join successive units in a continuous chain. Cotter pins I4, secured in receiving apertures I5 drilled transaxially in end portions of the pintle pins, are provided for securing the latter in the link units, The relative spacing between adjacent stud portions 8 and pintle pins I3 of the link units is of course in correspondence with the circular pitch of the various sprockets to be used in the conveyor system and at spaced points longitudinally of thel chains, where flight members are to be provided, axially opposing pintle pins I3 are replaced by elongated pintle rods IE which extend transversely across the conveyor and are provided in their extreme end portions with transaxially drilled apertures I l for receiving cotter pins I4 disposed on the outer sides of the chain runs so as to limit Ilateral spreading of the latter. Each and all of the chain link units employed are of the common type entirely devoid of lugs or other special mounting means by which attachment elements such as cleats or flight members could be secured to the chains in the usually practiced manner.

The elongated pintle rods IB are spaced along the runs of the chain preferably in locations at which it is desired to apply the pusher or flight members and conveniently form attachment supports for the load-bearing member of the conveyor. As here shown, and as will be best seen in Figure 3, each pintle rod I3 is provided with a surrounding sheath of spirally coiled wire I8 which may be formed of a unit length of wire or of duplicate interwoven lengths extending preferably along the pintle rods between the inner sides of the chain runs. Interlaced with the wire sheaths I8 of each pintle rod, and with each other, are spiral web wires I 9 which cooperate to form intercostal increments of the load-bearing bed of the conveyor.

The flight members each comprise, preferably, a unit piece of sheet metal having a central facial portion 2I of horizontal length sufficient to extend substantially between the in ner sides of the chain runs and of any desired vertical width. The upper edge of the facial portion 2l is provided with a preferably integral retrorsely-bent reinforcing rim 22 while the lower parallel edge of the `portion 2I has a marginal flange portion 23 bent substantially normally to the vertical facial plane of the ight member and provided at its distal edge with a down turned lip 24 which approaches and substantially rests against the upper face plane of the load-bearing web of the conveyor. The flange 23 and its lip portion 24 provide longitudinal rigidity 'along the lower edge of the flight member equivalent to the similar rigidity afforded by the rim 22 in the upper portion of the member. Extending from the opposite vertical edges of the facial portion 2! are wings 26 bent correspondingly to lie at substantially right angles to the facial portion 2| and along the relatively confronting sides of the chain runs. The lower end portion 2'I of the wings 25, which extend below the plane of the upwardly and angularly bent flange 23 and lip 24, are each provided with spaced apertures 28 and 29 respectively, the former of which is adapted to receive a pintle rod I6 and the latter of which is horizontally enlongated to receive and embrace the inner end of the adjacent pintle pin I3 and the cotter pin I4 associated therewith. The arrangement of the parts is such that the flight member is positively connected to the chain runs by virtue of the pintle rod I6 extending through the apertures 28 while vertical stability of the flight members with respect to the pitch line of the chain runs is provided in the engagement of the adjacent `pintle pins I3 in the elongated apertures 29.

In instances where unusually wide load-bearing webs comprise the conveyor belt and Where the webs are either not connected with the pintle rods I5 or where the latter are dispensed with and mounting of the wings 26 is effected by slightly extending pairs of the pintle pins I3, it is desirable that medial portions of the conveyor belt be suitably supported against sagging` In the structure of my invention this may be effected by providing along the distal edge vof the lip 24, a series of relatively spaced apertures 3| in which may be engaged loops 32 of wire which are intermeshed with subjacent convolutions of the web wires I9. As many as desired of the wire loops 32 may be provided depending upon the width of the conveyor and the load that it is expected to carry,

In Figure 5 is shown a modified form of the invention in which the conveyor web is attached directly to the flight member rather than by means of an intermediate element such as the pintle rod I6. As here shown, the flight member construction is modified to the extent that the lower margin of the facial portion 2| is eX- tended downwardly across the plane of the conveyor web 'I and is provided with spaced apertures 33 through which may be threaded the convolutions of the spiral sheath I3, thus attaching the latter securely to the ight member. The portions of the conveyor web extending oppositely from the flight member may be entwined with the spiral wire sheath I8 as previously explained. The above structure is employed where the conveyor web is made up of adjacently aligned separate sections of wire fabric, each section being attached to relatively adjacent flight members so as to form a continuously coupled conveyor unit, In cases where the conveyor web already exists as a unitary continuous member in an installation and it is desired to apply flight members to the conveyor, the type of flight member shown in Figure 5 is employed, medial portions of the web being then connected to the ight member by means of attachment loops 32 as already explained. It is also within the scope of the invention to use, instead of the cylindrical pintle rod I3, a at bar to the opposite longitudinal edges of Which the conveyor web sections may be secured in the manner illustrated in Figure 3, the ends of the said at bar being of cylindrical form to extend through the opposite chain runs and to form the pintle pins between adjacent link members thereof.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be seen that I have provided flight members and mountings therefor which may be readily attached to conventional removable pintle link chain without requiring the utilization of comparatively expensive, specially lugged links which may be so attached without substantially dismantling the chain runs and whose idesign permits a selective placement of the larly 'related Wing member :extending vadjacent :a

longitudinal lportion of said drive chain, 4and Ameans `including .at least a jpintle member icar- I fried. by said Adrive chain and extending through :saidwingzmember for connecting-'the flightmem- Iber with .and to Lbesupported by said idrinefchain.

2. In a conveyor including a .drive chain .comprising a plurality of link elements relatively interconnected .pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with `said. drive chain, a ilght 'member overlying fsaid 'web member fand `rising therefrom, said ight member comprising a facial section of sheet material substantiallyperpenvdicular to said web member and 'having .at least one 'horizontal portion thereof ,provided with stiifening means and further ,providediin a .vertical side portion thereof With an integral wing member having at least an aperture therein, a pintle rod carried by and interconnecting adjacent link elements of said drive chain and extending through said wing member aperture, and said wing member having means thereon for receiving and connecting thereto a pintle member.

3. In a conveyor including a drive chain comprising a plurality of link elements relatively interconnected pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with said drive chain, a flight member overlying said web member and rising therefrom, said flight member comprising a facial section f sheet material disposed generally perpendicular to said web member and having a horizontal portion thereof bent to offset relation with respect to the facial section thereof, said ight member further having a wing member lying angularly with respect to the facial section and disposed adjacent a portion of said drive chain, said wing member having an aperture therein, a pintle rod extending through said wing member aperture and engaged with and to interconnect link elements of the drive chain, and means on said wing member engageable with a pintle member and cooperative with said pintle rod t0 f secure the flight member to said drive chain.

4. In a conveyor including a drive chain comprising a plurality of link elements relatively interconnected pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with said drive chain, a flight member overlying said web member and rising therefrom, said flight member comprising a facial section of sheet material extending upwardly from the general plane of said web member and having a horizontal portion thereof bent to offset relation with respect to the facial section thereof, means interposed between a portion of said night member and said load-bearing web member for supporting the latter on said flight member, said flight member further having a wing member lying angularly with respect to the facial section and disposed adjacent a portion of said drive chain, said wing member having an aperture therein, a pintle .rod extending t.through .said nwing imember :aperture rand-engaged with and fto interconnect .link felements of the drive chain, and :means .on said Wi-ng :member engageable #with a Ipintle member vand @Operative -with 'said .pintle .rod 'to secure 'the zight memberitosaiddrivechain.

5. In ya conveyorincluding:adrive chain comprising Aa plurality of link elements relativelyzinterconnected pivotally by .pintle members and :a load :bearing .web fmember exten-ding along :and operating y.with said drive chain, fa ight t'member Voverlying said 'web member fand'rising therefrom, said 'iiightmemberfcompris'ing a facial section of sheet material disposedigenera'lly perpendicular to said .web :member .and 'having `-a'ihoif'izontal portion `thereof bent Ito offset relation 2with respect to the facial section thereof, said lhori.- -zontal bent portion "having therein a :marginal aperture, vlink :means :connected iin :said marginal aperture and insaid .load-bearing web-for securing the latter lto said `flight irnember, said flight vmember vfurther ,having a wing member lyinga-ngula-rily `with-respectfto the facial section and-'ex- .tending along 4a portion of said-drive chain, said wing member having relatively spacedfapertures therein, a pintle rod extending .through one-cf the wing member apertures and engaged 'with .and `to interconnect link elem-ents kof -the ldrive chain, :and the other `aperture y'of `said wing niember being in engagement with a pintle member adjacent to said pintle rod whereby said flight member is connected with said drive chain and retained in angular relation with the plane of said load-bearing web member.

6. In a conveyor including a drive chain comprising a plurality of link elements relatively interconnected pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with said drive chain, coiled elements interposed between and interconnecting incremental sections of said load-bearing web member, a flight member overlying said web member and rising therefrom, said flight member comprising a facial section of sheet material extending upwardly from the general plane of said web member and having spaced horizontal portions thereof bent to oifset relation with respect to the facial section thereof, said flight member further having a wing member lying angularly with respect to said facial section and extending along a portion of said drive chain, said wing member having therein separate apertures relatively spaced longitudinally of said drive chain, a pintle rod carried by and interconnecting adjacent link elements of said drive chain, said pintle rod extending through one of said wing member apertures and through said coiled elements for securing the night member and the load-bearing web member respectively to said drive chain, and the other of said Wing member apertures being engaged with a pintle pin adjacent to said pintle rod for retaining the angular position of said liight member relative to the plane of said load-bearing web member.

7. In a conveyor including a drive chain comprising a plurality of identical link elements relatively interconnected pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with said drive chain, a unitary sheet metal flight member overlying said web member and rising therefrom, said iiight member having a facial section disposed substantially perpendicular to said web member and of a horizontal width substantially -corresponding with the Width of the load bearing web member, a wing 7 member extending from a side of said facial section and bent angularly with respect to the latter to lie substantially parallel With the drive chain and extending for at least a full link element thereof, said Wing member having relatively spaced apertures therein, a pintle rod carried by and interconnecting adjacent link elements of said drive chain and extending through one of said wing member apertures, the other of said wing member apertures being engaged with a pintle pin adjacent to said pintle rod for connecting said ight member, in cooperation with the pintle rod, to said drive chain, and a marginal flange on the facial section of said night member, said flange having along it distal edge a lip turned downwardly to approach and substantially engage the adjacent plane of said load-bearing web member.

8. In a conveyor including a drive chain cornprising a plurality of link elements relatively interconnected pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with said drive chain, a flight member comprising a generally planar portion overlying said web member and angularly rising therefrom,

end portions of said night member angularly related to said planar portion and to said web member and engaged with longitudinally spaced pintle members of said drive chain for connecting the latter to said ight member, and elements interconnecting medial portions of said flight member with medial portions of said load member.

9. In a conveyor including a drive chain comprising a plurality of link elements relatively interconnected pivotally by pintle members and a load bearing web member extending along and operative with said drive chain, a flight member comprising a generally planar portion overlying said web member and rising therefrom, end portions of said night member being disposed substantially normal to said planar portion and extending upwardly from said web member and having lower portions thereof engaged with longitudinally spaced pintle members of said drive chain for connecting the latter to said flight member, and portions of said load bearing web member being in entwined interengagement with portions of said flight member.

ROLLIE B. NAWMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 336,126 Ludlum Feb. 16, 1886 1,756,598 King Apr. 29, 1930 1,787,063 Cano Dec. 30, 1930 2,510,212 Donnell June 6, 1950 

